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Amroth
Amroth was an Elven king of Lothlórien. Although he was descended from the Sindarin Elves, Amroth was pleased to adopt the customs of the Galadhrim and to live in a high house on Cerin Amroth, a hill in Lothlórien. Biography Third Age When Amroth's father, Amdír, was killed during the Battle of Dagorlad in SA 3434, Amroth became the King of Lothlórien. He became the last of the ruling Sindar over Lorien. Amroth and Nimrodel Amroth's beloved, a beautiful Elf Maiden named Nimrodel, regretted that Elves from Beleriand, which was under assault by Morgoth, were being admitted into Lothlórien. She believed that these foreign Elves brought wars and destroyed the peace that Lothlórien's inhabitants had once enjoyed. When a Balrog was awakened in Moria by the delvings of the Dwarves and they fled north to the Grey Mountains, many of the Elves living on the west side of Lórien moved inward, and the Galadhrim tightened their guard. Nimrodel, living on the west side of the forest by the stream that afterward bore her name, preferring not to mix with the Galadhrim who she deemed invaders of the golden wood, instead fled to Fangorn Forest in TA 1981 (Third Age). Amroth followed her to the forest, which was much closer to Lothlórien than it later became. Upon attempting to enter the forest, Nimrodel was halted and badly frightened by the movements and murmurings of the Black Huorns who barred her entrance. She lingered on the edge of the forest, unsure of what to do. Amroth found her there a day later. There, Amroth and Nimrodel spoke long and earnestly with one another, Amroth begging for her favor. Eventually, the Elf-Maiden promised that she would marry Amroth only if he brought her to a peaceful land. Amroth vowed that he would leave the Elves of Lothlórien, even if a time came when they needed him most. However, none of Middle-earth was at peace and Amroth believed that the Elves would never enjoy peace again. He suggested that he and Nimrodel should travel across the Sundering Seas to the Undying Lands. Amroth knew that the Sindarin Elves had come to the Bay of Belfalas, a haven south of Lothlórien, long ago. Although the majority of those elves had left Middle-earth and sailed to the Undying Lands, Amroth was aware that some of their kind still built ships and offered passage to any of the other elves wishing to leave Middle-earth. After Amroth made the necessary arrangements, he and Nimrodel left Lothlórien. However, they somehow became separated on their journey. Amroth looked for Nimrodel, but his search was unsuccessful so he continued south towards the Sundering Seas. Fate At the havens on the Bay of Belfalas, Amroth found that the few remaining Sindarin Elves who remained in Middle-earth were preparing to leave aboard the only seaworthy ship that they had. Although they welcomed Amroth aboard, they were unwilling to wait for Nimrodel. They hoped that she was in Gondor and that she had not attempted to cross the White Mountains, where many unfriendly Men and evil creatures lived. The summer was almost over and it would soon be autumn, which was expected to bring dangerously strong winds. However, the Elves saw that Amroth was extremely upset. They had removed all their possessions from their houses on the shore, so they waited with Amroth on their ship for many weeks. Summer passed and autumn came, but Nimrodel still did not arrive. One night, one of the fiercest storms in the recorded history of Gondor came from the Northern Waste, swept through Eriador and caused an enormous amount of destruction to Gondor. Many of the ships that the Men of Gondor had built were swept away from the coast and sank. The wind broke the light Elven-ship from its moorings and hurled the vessel far from the Bay of Belfalas, driving it towards the coasts of Umbar. At dawn of the following morning, the storm dissipated. However, when Amroth awoke, he saw that the ship was already far from its port. Full of despair, Amroth screamed Nimrodel's name, threw himself into the water below and drowned. The ship was never seen again in Middle-earth, although it is likely that the vessel left the Circles of the World and eventually reached Tol Eressëa, an island that the Eldar used to enable them to complete the Great Journey. Neither Elves nor Men ever saw Amroth or Nimrodel again, but there were many legends concerning Nimrodel's fate. Legacy The Elf Maiden shared her name with a stream where she once lived, which indirectly flowed into the Bay of Belfalas. According to Elven legend, Amroth's voice continued to emanate from the sea and Nimrodel's voice often resonated from the stream that shared her name.The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter VI: "Lothlorien"Unfinished Tales, Part Two: The Second Age, IV: "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn, and of Amroth King of Lórien" Etymology Amroth means "upclimber" or "high climber", from am ("high, going up").The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 5: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies" It refers to his having built and dwelt in a flet high in the trees on Cerin Amroth. The name was of Lemberin language (later "Avarin"), along with other Sindarin names such as Legolas, Nimrodel, and Thranduil.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth, II: "The Appendix on Languages", Languages at the end of the Third Age Amroth in Song Legolas sang an extract from a long and sad song to Frodo Baggins by the banks of the Nimrodel. The song, which depicted the story of Amroth and Nimrodel, was sometimes sung in Rivendell. An Elven-maid there was of old, A shining star by day: Her mantle white was hemmed with gold, Her shoes of silver-grey. A star was bound upon her brows, A light was on her hair As sun upon the golden boughs In Lórien the fair. Her hair was long, her limbs were white, And fair she was and free; And in the wind she went as light As leaf of linden-tree. Beside the falls of Nimrodel, By water clear and cool, Her voice as falling silver fell Into the shining pool. Where now she wanders none can tell, In sunlight or in shade; For lost of yore was Nimrodel And in the mountains strayed. The elven-ship in haven grey Beneath the mountain-lee Awaited her for many a day Beside the roaring sea. A wind by night in Northern lands Arose, and loud it cried, And drove the ship from elven-strands Across the streaming tide. When dawn came dim the land was lost, The mountains sinking grey Beyond the heaving waves that tossed Their plumes of blinding spray. Amroth beheld the fading shore Now low beyond the swell, And cursed the faithless ship that bore Him far from Nimrodel. Of old he was an Elven-king, A lord of tree and glen, When golden were the boughs in spring In fair Lothlórien. From helm to sea they saw him leap, As arrow from the string, And dive into the water deep, As mew upon the wing. The wind was in his flowing hair, The foam about him shone; Afar they saw him strong and fair Go riding like a swan. But from the West has come no word, And on the Hither Shore No tidings Elven-folk have heard Of Amroth evermore. Other versions of the legendarium Amroth was briefly the son of Galadriel and Celeborn, brother of Celebrían. In this version, he lived in Eregion and fled with Galadriel and Celebrían between TA 1350 and TA 1400. He was called as Ammalas in earlier writings, and was the lover of Inglorel (Nimrodel).The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 7: The Treason of Isengard, XII: "Lothlórien" Translations References de:Amroth es:Amroth it:Amroth pl:Amroth ru:Амрот Category:Grey Elves Category:Kings Category:Galadhrim Category:Rulers of Lorien Category:Characters in Unfinished Tales Category:Characters in The History of Middle-earth